This invention relates to a protective glove, and more particularly, to a protective glove which is used for stringing a tennis racket.
Tennis rackets consists of a racket frame having a handle portion and a head portion. The head portion is strung with strings which are used to contact a tennis ball during the playing or practicing of the game of tennis. In order to string the tennis racket the strings are inserted through holes which are positioned along an edge of the head portion. The strings also need to be properly tensioned and this requires pulling on the strings. Additionally, different tennis players require or prefer different tension of the strings. In order to tension the strings properly, personnel stringing the racket are required to pull on the strings. These strings are constructed of nylon or other synthetic materials and are typically less than 1 mm in diameter. As personnel are stringing, it is common for burns or abrasions to occur to the fingers, the hands, or the skin. This is especially true if a person is stringing 20 to 30 rackets per day at a large tournament or club.
Protecting the fingers or the hands while stringing a tennis racket is important. However, there is presently no device which is used for protecting the fingers, the palm, or the hands. If a protection device is to be readily acceptable by persons stringing tennis rackets, it must be able to easily protect the fingers or the hands, be easy to use, and not require any modification to the stringing process. Further, a protective glove must be comfortable to wear and convenient to use. If the protective glove impede the stringing process, then personnel may not be inclined to wear or use the protective glove.
The present invention is designed to obviate and overcome many of the disadvantages and shortcomings associated with presently available methods of stringing tennis rackets. In particular, the present invention is a protective glove which protects a user""s hands, skin, and fingers when stringing a single tennis racket or a plurality of tennis rackets. Moreover, the protective glove of the present invention can be easily utilized when stringing a tennis racket and does not inhibit the stringing of a tennis racket.
In one form of the present invention, a protective glove for stringing a tennis racket comprises a partial glove portion having a palm side and a backside, the partial glove portion having a thumb portion, an index finger portion, a middle finger portion, a ring finger portion, and a little finger portion adapted for receiving the fingers of a hand, the palm side comprising a tab portion having a fastening means, the backside comprising a pair of straps each having an end portion and fastening means associated with each of the end portions, the fastening means of the straps adapted for mating with the fastening means of the tab portion.
In another form of the present invention, a protective glove for stringing a tennis racket comprises a partial glove portion having a front side and a palm side, the partial glove portion having a thumb portion, an index finger portion, a middle finger portion, a ring finger portion, and a little finger portion adapted for receiving the fingers of a hand, the front side comprising a tab portion having a fastening means, the palm side comprising a pair of straps each having an end portion and fastening means associated with each of the end portions, the fastening means of the straps adapted for mating with the fastening means of the tab portion.
In yet another form of the present invention, a pair of protective gloves for use in stringing a tennis racket comprises pair of protective gloves for use in stringing a tennis racket comprising a first glove which comprises a partial glove portion having a palm side and a backside, the partial glove portion having a thumb portion, an index finger portion, a middle finger portion, a ring finger portion, and a little finger portion adapted for receiving the fingers of a hand, the palm side comprising a tab portion having a fastening means, the backside comprising a pair of straps each having an end portion and fastening means associated with each of the end portions, the fastening means of the straps adapted for mating with the fastening means of the tab portion and a second glove which comprises a partial glove portion having a front side and a palm side, the partial glove portion having a thumb portion, an index finger portion, a middle finger portion, a ring finger portion, and a little finger portion adapted for receiving the fingers of a hand, the front side comprising a tab portion having a fastening means, the palm side comprising a pair of straps each having an end portion and fastening means associated with each of the end portions, the fastening means of the straps adapted for mating with the fastening means of the tab portion.
In light of the foregoing comments, it will be recognized that a principal object of the present invention is to provide a protective glove for stringing a tennis racket which is of simple construction and design and which can be easily employed with highly reliable results.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a protective glove for stringing a tennis racket that is of unitary construction.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a protective glove that is made of a relatively lightweight material so that it can be easily positioned on a user, secured in place, and easily removed when the stringing process is completed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a protective glove which is flexible and easy to use.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a pair of protective gloves which are comfortable to wear, provide protection from abrasions or burns associated with stringing a tennis racket, and provide improved gripping capability.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after considering the following detailed specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: